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Re: Owner Review - CD Platypus product line

Thanks, I had the same what can I say attitude about the Term-A-Rests. Comfy and lightweight... you can t have both... pick one. If you want comfy, get a

Message 1 of 22
, Nov 1, 2002

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Thanks,

I had the same "what can I say" attitude about the Term-A-Rests.
Comfy and lightweight... you can't have both... pick one. If you
want comfy, get a TRest. End of story!!! Then I saw all the TRest
owner reports popping up, and figured I'd be better off putting my
efforts towards the Platy, esp since I had that "Efferdent" trick up
my sleeve :).

Now I just need someone to read through the mess and give me the OK
to upload.

--- In BackpackGearTest@y..., "redbike64" <richard.dreher@j...> wrote:
> I remember thinking "what the heck could I say about a water bag?"
> and now here's a couple thousand words.
>
> Quite the review, Andy!
>

Shane Steinkamp

No, I can t, and I appreciate the help. ;) Shane

Message 2 of 22
, Nov 1, 2002

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No, I can't, and I appreciate the help. ;)

Shane

> Hey... Shane can't cover all the bases :)

> > Sometimes, Andy, I really worry about you... ;o)
> > Jerry

> > From: Andy Mytys [mailto:amytys@f...]
> >
> > The Zabrowka is cool because it has a blade of grass
> > that a buffalo pissed on stuffed inside, and the color
> > has turned yellowish as a result.

Helen Hillberg

Ah, but you can have both, at least for three season use. The Big Agnes air mattress at 1 lb 4 oz. is nine ounces lighter than the full-length UltraLite

Message 3 of 22
, Nov 1, 2002

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Ah, but you can have both, at least for three season use. The Big Agnes air mattress at 1 lb 4 oz. is nine ounces lighter than the full-length UltraLite Therma-a-Rest and there is just no comparison with comfort, the BA has it all over the UltraLite. The standard Therm-a-Rest is almost as comfortable as the air mattress but weighs a whopping 2lb 11 oz.

I had the same "what can I say" attitude about the Term-A-Rests.
Comfy and lightweight... you can't have both... pick one.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

dawnhark

Nicely done, Andy, and thanks for the Efferdent tip, I love it! Dawn

Message 4 of 22
, Nov 1, 2002

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Nicely done, Andy, and thanks for the Efferdent tip, I love it!

Dawn

Andy Mytys

... Last I checked, the full length was 1lb, 6.7oz (weighed on a digi postal scale at home). The 3/4 is 1lb, 1,2oz. ... I ve got no complaints with the

Message 5 of 22
, Nov 1, 2002

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--- In BackpackGearTest@y..., "Helen Hillberg" <hhloth@m...> wrote:

> Ah, but you can have both, at least for three season use. The Big
> Agnes air mattress at 1 lb 4 oz. is nine ounces lighter than the
> full-length UltraLite Therma-a-Rest

Last I checked, the full length was 1lb, 6.7oz (weighed on a digi
postal scale at home). The 3/4 is 1lb, 1,2oz.

> and there is just no comparison with comfort

I've got no complaints with the Therm-A-Rest... I would *love* to try
the BA to see what's better about it. Might just be a personal
preference too. I'm used to sleeping on a firm Sterns and Foster at
home... the Therm-A-Rest UL gives similar support, but I don't have
the "roll around" space of my "California King" bed.

Andy Mytys

It s actually my wife s idea. She s a florist and it s what they use to clean the nooks and crannies of vases... safe on crystal too. One day I came home with

Message 6 of 22
, Nov 1, 2002

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It's actually my wife's idea. She's a florist and it's what they use
to clean the nooks and crannies of vases... safe on crystal too.

One day I came home with some brown deposits on the bottom of my
Platy after taking water from a CG pump. Couldn't get it out for the
life of me. The wife rolled up her sleeves, pushed me aside, and
took me to school :)

Interesting, I took the weight from the Cascade Designs website since I only have a three-quarter standard and three-quarter Guidelite. UltraLite was listed

Message 7 of 22
, Nov 1, 2002

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Interesting, I took the weight from the Cascade Designs website since I only have a three-quarter standard and three-quarter Guidelite. UltraLite was listed as the lightest of their line at 1 lb 13 oz. for the full length.

--- In BackpackGearTest@y..., "Helen Hillberg" <hhloth@m...> wrote:
> Ah, but you can have both, at least for three season use. The Big
> Agnes air mattress at 1 lb 4 oz. is nine ounces lighter than the
> full-length UltraLite Therma-a-Rest

Last I checked, the full length was 1lb, 6.7oz (weighed on a digi
postal scale at home). The 3/4 is 1lb, 1,2oz.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Andy Mytys

I know CD made occassional changes to the materials, but there was nothing wrong with the one that I have in terms of durability, comform, or slippage... I

Message 8 of 22
, Nov 1, 2002

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I know CD made occassional changes to the materials, but there was
nothing wrong with the one that I have in terms of durability,
comform, or slippage... I can't see an engineer at CD saying, "let's
make it even heavier" based on the UL that I have.

It is the standard burgandy/brown color scheme, a few years old.

My really old TRest UL is blue/brown, and weighs a couple OZ less.

--- In BackpackGearTest@y..., hhloth@m... wrote:
> Interesting, I took the weight from the Cascade Designs website
since I only have a three-quarter standard and three-quarter
Guidelite. UltraLite was listed as the lightest of their line at 1
lb 13 oz. for the full length.
>
> Helen
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> Wrom: UZXUWLSZLK
> Sent: Friday, November 01, 2002 12:51 PM
> To: BackpackGearTest@y...
> Subject: [BackpackGearTest] Re: Owner Review - CD Platypus product
line
>
> --- In BackpackGearTest@y..., "Helen Hillberg" <hhloth@m...> wrote:
> > Ah, but you can have both, at least for three season use. The Big
> > Agnes air mattress at 1 lb 4 oz. is nine ounces lighter than the
> > full-length UltraLite Therma-a-Rest
>
> Last I checked, the full length was 1lb, 6.7oz (weighed on a digi
> postal scale at home). The 3/4 is 1lb, 1,2oz.
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Backpacking Background: I began backpacking in 1973, went infrequently
in the eighties and nineties, and now backpack regularly. Almost all
of my hiking is done in the High Sierra in areas within a day's drive
of Tahoe, though I also frequent the Great Basin High Desert
(northwest Nevada) in winter. I've hiked in Oregon, Idaho, Colorado,
Montana, Wyoming, British Columbia, and Alaska. I have the good
fortune to live in the middle of the mountains while working
part-time, so it's easy for me to go camping, day hiking, and
backpacking often.

The Moonbow Gearskin pack system is an innovative lightweight design
that should be seen to be understood and appreciated. Before reading
on, I strongly advise you to go to http://moonbowgear.com/, click on
the Camping/Hiking link, click on the Custom Packs link, and finally
click on the Gearskins link. Here you'll find photos that will do much
to de-mystify the Gearskin.

Field Information

Location: The Sierra Nevada mountains of Northern California, at
elevations of 5,000 to 10,000 feet (1,500 to 3,000 meters).

Description of Location: The terrain in the test area is mountainous,
with granite peaks and ridges, alpine meadows, streams, canyons, talus
slopes, lakes, and alpine and sub-alpine forests. This is a semi-arid
region.

Weather Conditions: The weather during this testing period was
generally dry and sunny, with temperatures ranging from 22 F (-5 C) to
85 F (29 Celsius).

Backpacking Style & Experience: I backpack a couple times a month in
the Sierra Nevada in a wide range of alpine conditions. Most trips are
two to three days long. As far as pack weight goes, I'm slowly
upgrading to lightweight and hope to arrive eventually at around 15
pounds (6.8 kilograms) for everything except fuel, food, and water.
(If I was really serious about it, I could go to ten pounds/4.5
kilograms base weight, but I find I'm not happy without a book and my
big Therm-A-Rest pad.) My current base weight is around 20 pounds (9
kgs).

I use tarps or floorless tents for shelter when backpacking, carry an
umbrella (for sun) and a poncho, and hike with poles. Jesse, my dog,
always comes along. I hike both on and off trail, and I like to avoid
my fellow human beings as much as possible. I am an ambler who takes
frequent breaks, as opposed to those who like to cover a lot of miles
on their hikes. One of my favorite tenets of lightweight backpacking
is to try and have every item I carry serve at least two (preferably
more) functions.

Field Report

Having just reviewed my Initial Report, I find I've already commented
on many aspects of the Gearskin that would normally belong in this,
the Field Report. I'll proceed by expanding on areas where I gained
more knowledge through field experience, and by updating where
appropriate.

One thing I want to make clear up front is that I had never used a
frameless pack for backpacking prior to testing the Gearskin, I prefer
to carry almost all of my load on my hips, and I succeeded in doing
this with ease. This is great lightweight pack.

To Pocket, or Not to Pocket:

From the Initial Report: "Jonathan McCue of Moonbow had asked if I
wanted a pocket on the back, and I said yes, even though it probably
wasn't necessary because, in a sense, the whole Gearskin is a pocket
or pocketsyou can stick maps, snacks, water bottles, etc into the
pack at any point along the sides and top simply by unclipping a
buckle, stuffing the item in among your gear (or between your gear and
the Gearskin), and redoing the buckle Compression prevents things
from falling out."

I use the pocket on the back of my Gearskin, which is made of the same
silicone-impregnated nylon as the rest of the pack, to hold my 2-liter
(68 ounces) water bag (I'm still not a convert to hose-hydration). The
pocket wasn't specially designed for this use, so I can't really
complain that it doesn't fit my water bag. When the Gearskin
compression straps are cinched tight, the pocket has very little
volume left. It is gusseted so that the center portion of the pocket
does retain volume, but both sides, amounting to at least half of the
total pocket, are flattened firmly against the pack body. I think the
gussets should be moved out toward the outside edges of the pocket so
that more of the pocket volume is useable. Meanwhile, I used it for my
water bag anyway, but I only carried about a liter (34 ounces) of
water at a time, which did fit into the pocket.

Other pockets: I wear glasses, so I Velcroed a case to a shoulder
strap for them (I switch between clear and darklensed glasses). This
worked fine.

When I first began using the Gearskin, I too had the
fear-of-being-pocketless-ness experienced by at least one other
tester, so I added a small pocket to the other shoulder strap, but
here's where my individual hiking style makes my needs a bit different
from other hikers'. I ended up removing that second pocket, because I
take frequent short breaks. How do pockets relate to frequent breaks?
On many of these breaks I take my pack off, so my pants pockets are
then easily accessible for small items like lip balm, and the Gearskin
is easily accessible for larger items. (Moonbow will add as many
pockets as you wish, however, if you prefer.)

The only concession I've made recently to pocketphilia is that I've
attached a long narrow nylon fabric "quiver" to the left side the
Gearskin, using the compression straps threaded through the carry loop
on the quiver so that it hangs somewhat loosely. It then functions
wonderfully as a receptacle for my umbrella and/or one or both of my
hiking poles. Ideally, these items would be stored under the side
compression straps, but I found I wanted an option where I would be
able to switch from poles to umbrella quickly, without having to
remove the pack and undo the compression straps.

Regarding making the leap from using a lot of pockets for organizing
my stuff: I segregate most of my smaller gear into two or three
stuff-sacks and zip-lock bags, and my water filter goes into its own
sack. I keep my poncho folded into a zip-lock bag (hehe, haven't had
to use it for the past six monthsnow that I've been so bold as to put
that into words, it should soon commence to snow like hell). Larger
items, like jackets, bags, pads, and shelter, are laid into the
Gearskin without additional bagging. I'll address loading the Gearskin
in greater detail below.

To conclude the Pocket section, no pack, however festooned with
weight-adding pockets it may be, offers easier access to each and
every item one carries than the Gearskin. Admittedly, it takes a bit
of getting used to, but it's a worthwhile shift to make. It helps to
devise a system you like for loading your gear, and then use that
system every time, so that you know where things are and can simply
undo the compression strap nearest the piece of gear you want to access.

Upon arriving in camp, I normally pull things out of my pack as I need
them and leave the rest of my stuff in the pack. One of the funniest
(remember, I'm easily amused) unforeseen results of using the
Gearskin was that I soon had all my gear strewn madly about, sitting
on rocks and hanging from branches and tossed hither and yon,
willy-nilly. I learned to establish a new camp set-up routine that
included first pitching any shelter, as usual, and then arranging most
items neatly inside the shelter. When I go without shelter, I now put
my things in a semi-neat pile at the head of my sleeping area on top
of the opened-flat Gearskin.

Packing the Gearskin:

From the Initial Report: "Instead of an enclosed bag, [the Gearskin]
has a flat rectangle of fabric bordered by compression straps (four
on each side, plus two on top), plus shoulder, load-lifter, and
sternum straps, and a padded hipbelt. There is no frame, nor are there
any stays in this pack; weight-transferring stiffness is obtained by
tightly compressing the load."

I've used the Gearskin on five weekend trips so far and I am amazed at
the simplicity and effectiveness of this pack's design. It's a bit
difficult to get used to at first: No stuff sack for my sleeping
bag?!? Unheard of! And yet, the unstuffed bag, along with your other
large or bulky items, functions to keep everything in place within the
Gearskin, resulting in a solid, unshifting, steady load with no empty
spaces. This is one of the best things about the Gearskin: the pack is
always the exact same size and shape as your load! Can't beat that.

I try to keep most of my loads to 30 pounds or less. Here's what I
brought on an overnighter in August, when the weather was still warm:

Total weight was approximately 25 pounds (11.4 kgs) and included my
Thermarest Base Camp pad, bag, Hex 2 tent, Thermarest chair, a big
trash bag (used in combination with the chair to create a ground
sheet), umbrella, nylon pants, fleece jacket, windbreaker, about a
liter of water, MSR Miniworks filter, two days of food (about five
pounds including dog food), stove and kitchen items, a few first aid
and repair items, and a bunch of smaller things like matches, cordage,
spare socks, etc.

I put all the food into one large zip-lock bag and organized the other
small items into small zip-locks inside a silnylon stuff sack. The
water filter was in its own mesh bag, as were the kitchen items.

To pack the Gearskin, I first spread it out flat on the ground, all
buckles unfastened and moved to the far ends of their respective
straps. Hip-belt and shoulder-straps were on the ground; the inside
surface of the pack was facing skyward.

Next, I positioned the tent very loosely over the pack, lengthwise. I
folded my pad into thirds and placed that on top of the tent,
positioned over the part of the pack that would later be resting
against my back. I placed the chair, which includes inflexible support
rods, on the pad with the rods oriented vertically and placed at the
sides. Next came my sleeping bag, tossed loosely over the rest, also
lengthwise.

The rest of the gear was placed on top of the bag. I put the food bag
at what would soon become the bottom of the load (just over the
hip-belt) and lined up the other items horizontally above that, with
the lightest things placed toward the top.

Finally, I folded the edges of the tent inwards lengthwise and then
folded the whole big wad of stuff in half. If I've lost you here, my
apologies, and please go to the Moonbow website for clarity
(http://moonbowgear.com/).

I usually fasten the top two compression straps first, and then the
sides. At this point it's all a fairly amorphous mass, and now is a
good time to make sure the load is centered over the back of the
Gearskin properly. Now all you have to do is tighten all the straps,
put it on, and walk. My gear tends to extend about four inches (10 cm)
beyond the pack body on each side.

Right about now you're remembering a few things you forgot to pack,
but don't despair. It's easy as pie to unclip the appropriate strap
and put whatever gear you forgot anywhere in the pack. Which is very,
very nice.

I still have concerns about leaving my gear partially exposed. From
the Initial Report: "By design, the Gearskin exposes my tent, tarp,
ground sheet, or sleeping bag to damage by tearing or abrasion, unless
I take the additional step of using either a pack cover or a nylon
pack liner."

I've given a lot of thought to this, and I think the answer, for me,
will depend on what I'm carrying for shelter on a given trip.

If I'm not carrying a tarp to use for a ground sheet, I'm thinking
I'll want to use a large, say about 25"x30" (64x76 cm) silnylon bag to
enclose my fabric gear in order to protect it from snags. This will,
of course, mean that I'll have to pack a bit differently. I haven't
tried it yet, but I envision it this way:

Lay out tent, pad, and bag as usual (for Gearskin packing), but don't
put it on top of the Gearskin yet. Fold lengthwise, then in half, and
slip this big wad into the large silnylon bag. Position the filled bag
on top of the Gearskin and proceed as usual, placing smaller items
such as clothing, mess kit, food bag, and water filter on top of the
bag, and then folding the back of the Gearskin up and over everything.
Snap and tighten compression straps.

Alternatively, you could put everything inside the large bag, but then
you would loose one of the very useful features of the Gearskin
design, which is easy access to every item.

If I am carrying a groundsheet, it can be positioned under tent, bag,
and pad and folded inward around same so as to protect that
more-essential gear from snags. The only drawback to this method as
opposed to using a large bag is that the ground sheet becomes the
outermost layer and is susceptible to snags. Where I backpack, summers
are usually long and dry, so I wouldn't be too worried about the holes
letting in water. I could also easily patch small holes. For winter or
rainy-weather camping, I would be unwilling to expose my groundsheet,
and thus my sleeping bag, etc, in this way.

I think that if I hiked in very wet conditions, I might go with the
pack cover instead of these two methods.

Fit and Comfort:

Generally speaking, the Gearskin is the most comfortable pack I've
used. It's not as comfortable as going naked, though, for which I
bitterly blame the Moonbow Company. Be that is it may, I'm pretty
satisfied. The concern I had about the shoulder straps laying flat
still exists to some extent, but not as much as it did initially.

I plan to play around more with the way I pack the Gearskin, possibly
removing the rigid supports from my chair and stowing them
horizontally, and shaping the load a bit so it fits the curve of my
back. As it stands now, however, I'm pretty pleased with it. The
weight savings alone account for a great deal of added comfort.

The buckle on the hip-belt still digs into me towards the end of the
day, but I fixed that by positioning a square of foam padding behind
it. I plan to attach the foam permanently.

I like to vary the tightness of the shoulder straps and load lifters
as I'm walking along; the variety seems to help prevent soreness from
developing in any one spot.

I do wish that, even though this pack is custom-made to my
measurements, there was some way to adjust where the shoulder straps
attach to the pack body (ie, adjust the torso measurement). The pack
was built to my specifications, but I'm no expert, and it can be tough
to get an accurate torso measurement. Adjustability of torso length
would give me one more way to play with the fit.

The best things about this pack are its extremely light weight, its
variable capacity, its comfort, and the way it provides easy access to
all one's gear.

Problems:

From the Initial Report: "After the Dardanelles trip [this was the
first trip with the Gearskin] I was disappointed, but not particularly
surprised, to find that there are two spots (at the back where the
bottom of the hip-belt is sewn to the pack) where the fabric is
tearing away from the stitching. When I initially examined the
Gearskin, I noticed that these areas looked susceptible to too much
stress for the way they are constructed (ie, with a line of stitching
that extends about a half inch/1.3 cm downward from where the hipbelt
is sewn to the body fabric)."

This problem could be prevented with a slight change in construction:
Don't extend those two lines of stitching beyond the area where the
belt is sewn to the body with a long horizontal line of stitching. On
my pack, the silnylon is ripped out for the short length of this
extension, but the inner reinforcing fabric has held. I think the pack
will survive these wounds, but they are unnecessary and preventable,
and they probably weaken the pack to some degree.

I would also like to see care, loading, and fitting instructions
included with the pack.

Here's a thought I just had which actually applies to all packs with
hipbelts, not just the Gearskin. As stated earlier, I carry all or
most of my load on my hips. Because of that, there's a lot of downward
pressure, and belts inevitably slip down too low and need to be hiked
back up, and often tightened. To help minimize this, I try to wear
shorts and pants made of fabric that has some friction, some texture
to provide resistance against the fabric of the hip-belt. Wearing
smooth or slippery nylon, for instance, just doesn't work for me. I
wonder if it would be a good idea to put some dabs of silicone
caulking on the inside of one's hip-belt to help it grip better? I
might give it a try, and if I do I'll let you know how it worked in
the Long-Term Report.

Thank you to BackpackGearTest and Moonbow for the opportunity to
participate in this test.

John Burnet

Toby, Chris, Andy, Heather, and Shaun, Okay kids, here s the thing. I ve run out of time tonight and I m leaving before the crank of dawn to head into the

Message 10 of 22
, Nov 1, 2002

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Toby, Chris, Andy, Heather, and Shaun,

Okay kids, here's the thing. I've run out of time
tonight and I'm leaving before the 'crank' of dawn to
head into the woods for three days. Andrew is gone for
the next few days as well. So, odds are, that it's
going to be several days before you guys get your
edits and folders.

Sorry I couldn't get these done. Packing, as always,
took more time than expected and I've spent several
un-planned hours vainly trying to find a local source
for freeze-dried beef.

I'll probably catch up around the middle of next week.

Happy Trails,

John Burnet
gatemansnametag(at)yahoo(dot)com
BGT List Monitor

All is well
As I swing up to the border, bent for hell
And the service station man agreed
I didn't look too well
But the mountains and Maryann
Are calling out to me
And I got my bed roll on my back
And everything that I could pack
To see me on my way

All is well
The foothills are coming into sight
Today is just a memory
The future is tonight
And the red pines will bow their heads
The rivers and the watersheds
Will carry us along
And the mountains and Maryann
Will greet me there as only she can do
G. Lightfoot

> Toby, Chris, Andy, Heather, and Shaun,
>
> Okay kids, here's the thing. I've run out of time
> tonight and I'm leaving before the 'crank' of dawn to
> head into the woods for three days. Andrew is gone for
> the next few days as well. So, odds are, that it's
> going to be several days before you guys get your
> edits and folders.
>

Sure... give me more time. I'll just add another 1000 words to my
Platypus review :) It's all under "Hoser", plus I added a drying
step to the end of the cleaning instructions. Here it is...

The Platypus hydration system, by Cascade Designs, is a complete
product line for storing and transporting water in the backcountry.
The family of products includes flexible and collapsible water
bottles, tanks, totes, and carriers. Most of the products can serve
anywhere from a simple canteen to a complete, lightweight, hands
free hydration system that can double as a shower. In terms of
weight, most Platys fall between one and two ounces, including the
cap. A complete "Hoser"  drinking tube attachment will weigh
another two onces. The largest reservoirs available, the "Water
Tanks" , weigh between two and three ounces, depending on capacity.

Platypus water carriers are made of a clear, triple-layer, welded
plastic laminate. This construction insures durability and keeps
your water from tasting like "plastic", even after being stored for
extended periods of time and across various temperatures. All
Platypus bags are lined with high-density food grade polyethylene so
there are no issues with chemicals, found in all plastics, leaching
into your water.

I have personally used all of the products described in this review,
many since 1999. Throughout this short time span, Cascade Designs
has made durability related improvements to the material that the
Platypus reservoirs are made of and changed the bite valve design in
the hands-free, "Hoser", hydration system.

Platypus Water Tank:

The largest family of water carriers available in the Platypus line
are the "Water Tanks" . Available in 2, 4, and 6-liter capacity
sizes, they are ready to carry lots of water when needed (e.g.
hiking in hot, dry, conditions). Like all Platypus bags, when empty
they are extremely lightweight and fold down flat for convenient,
compact, storage.

Water Tanks  feature the "Big Zip"  opening for quick and easy
filling, comfortable handles, an easy-pour spout, and a secure
closure cap. When in an upright position, the spout on the Water
Tanks  is located at the top corner of the bag. These bags are
meant to carry water but, due to the location of the spout, are not
meant to be compatible with the "Hoser"  drinking tubes or shower
adapters. When filled, the Water Tanks  are freestanding.

On a recent trip to Utah, the hike called for a 16-mile stretch with
no water and 100-degree temperatures. I carried two of the 4-liter
tanks of water in my pack, in addition to a 3-liter Platypus "Hoser"
 system.

It was my first experience with carrying so much water in a Platypus
product. The fact that these bags had the "Big Zip"  opening (think
industrial sized Zip-Loc) made me nervous. What if the "Zip" should
come open in the middle of my hike?

Fortunately for me, the "Zip" came open and leaked a little water
before I actually got onto the trail. I noticed the leak as I was in
the process of adjusting my gear to fit in a comfortable manner
within my pack. When I opened the pack for a final adjustment to my
camera gear, there was a small puddle on top of my stuff sacks.

Upon close inspection, I figured out what had happened. I placed my
camera bag on top of the Platypus bags thinking that, if there was a
leak, the camera was the last thing I would want to get wet.
Unfortunately, when I placed the bag on the Platypus tanks,
the "Zip" openings were facing upwards. The pressure of the camera
bag's weight, in addition to the stress of the bag being pressed
down on the Platypus tanks by the backpack top lid, forced the
closure to slightly open and leak water.

To get around this problem, I simply folded the "Zip" closure down
once and fastened it with duct tape. At the time, I was not in a
position where experimentation was a good idea. With water being
scarce until around noon the next day, I didn't want to chance about
additional leakage issues.

Since that time, I have found myself in similar packing situations
and have just folded the top closures of my "Big Zip"  flat. The
duct tape idea, while providing additional security, is completely
unnecessary.

Platypus "Big Zip" Reservoirs:

"Big Zip"  reservoirs (left bag in photo) are similar to the Water
Tanks , above. They are available in 1, 1.8, 2, 3, and 4 liter
capacities with the 3 and 4 liter bags having built in grommets for
attaching carry handles or suspending the bag to use in conjunction
with the optional camp shower attachment. All sizes come with a
closure cap. The bags do not stand upright when full since the pour
spout is located at the bottom corner of the bag. "Big Zips"  are
compatible with the optional "Hoser"  drinking tube attachment.

The "Big Zip"  closure works like an industrial sized Zip-Loc, and
having a wide opening for access is very convenient. Backcountry
users who use chemicals to treat their water can just let the source
flow freely into the bag, or dip the bag into the water for quick
filling. Sports drinks are a snap to make with the "Big Zip"  -
Just pour in the powder, add water, secure tightly, and shake. The
wide opening is also nice for putting ice cubes into the bag and
makes access for cleaning purposes easy. The opening is also a nice
feature for drying purposes as you can place a small towel directly
in the bag and either navigate it with your hand, or shake the bag
about until the moisture has been absorbed by the towel inside.

Platypus Reservoirs:

Standard Platypus reservoirs (right bag in photo, above) are
available in 1, 1.8, 2, and 3 liter capacities. All sizes come with
a closure cap, and can stand upright when full. Standard reservoirs
are compatible with the optional "Hoser"  drinking tube and shower
kits.

The main difference between the standard and "Big Zip"  reservoirs
are price, size, and how you fill the bag. The bags cost about $1
less than a similarly sized "Big Zip" , with the difference in the
3 liter models being about $3. While capacity between two bags may
be the same, a comparable "Big Zip"  is 1-inch taller in order to
accommodate the zipper. Of course, without the advantage of a large
opening, the standard reservoirs have to be filled using a small
hole that's about the size found on 20oz plastic pop bottles. For
filter users, Cascade Designs sells an optional filter link that
allows you to screw your filter's output hose securely to the
reservoir - Now you can concentrate on pumping, rather than keeping
the hose from popping out of the bag.

Standard reservoirs are also difficult to dry after cleaning.
Leaving it open to air-dry on your kitchen counter can take up to a
week. I find that rolling up a paper towel, inserting it entirely
into the reservoir, then shaking vigorously is a good way to pick up
most of the excess moisture quickly. Getting the paper towel back
out of the bag can be a little tricky, and those with "sausage
fingers" should be careful not to get the Platypus stuck to the to
the tip of their finger while trying to fish out the towel.

This said, if you find yourself uneasy about trusting the "Big Zip"
 from leaking on the trail, the standard reservoir may be the
product for you.

Platypus "Hosers":

The Platypus "Hoser"  system allows for hands-free access to your
water using a simple gravity based design. You fill a "Hoser" 
compatible Platypus with water, attach the drinking tube to the
spout, then place the Platy either inside your pack or in a pocket
on the outside of your pack. The area where the drinking tube is
attached to the Platy should be pointed down.

The drinking tube is 42" (106cm) long so you can really get the
water deep in your pack where it will be insulated and kept cool by
the surrounding gear. One of the best locations for your reservoir
is vertical, against your back. By placing heavy items, such as
water and food, between your shoulders and as close to your back as
possible, you'll have a well balanced pack that's easy to control.
And, as long as you put the reservoir in at a vertical position,
you'll have a good flow of water until the last drop is gone.

The system also comes with a lapel clip, allowing you to
conveniently attach the hose to your pack strap, shirt collar, or
wherever you prefer (see photo, right). There's no more rummaging
into your pack for water or dislocating your shoulder reaching for a
water bottle. Just grab the bite valve, pull it up to your lips,
bite down a little, and sip.

Easy access to water is the real selling point of the "Hoser" 
system. Hikers that wait until they are at a "convenient" point to
access their water often find themselves drinking only when they are
thirsty. It's well known that if you feel thirsty, your body is
already short a good liter of water. Such a shortage can decrease
your level of endurance, and make getting to your destination more
of a challenge then you initially planned. With dehydration also
come headaches, moodiness, and just a miserable hiking experience.
To stay adequately hydrated, however, you don't have to drink a lot
at one time - The key is to drink at regular and frequent intervals,
giving your body time to properly absorb the water. With the
Platypus "Hoser"  system, there's no excuse not to be well
hydrated.

Many hikers, when using the "Hoser"  for the first sip, cough up
the water just as fast as they took it down. This is due to air that
was trapped in the hose. Gulping down water followed by a little air
and more water causes a natural reflex cough - It's nothing to be
concerned with. Rather than drinking from a freshly filled Platypus,
I recommend that you hold the drinking tube down and pinch the bite
valve for 2-3 seconds, letting any air trapped in the drinking tube
escape while filling the tube with water.

"Hosers"  are available in either kit form, to convert non-"Hoser"
 setups, or with the purchase of a standard or "Big Zip" reservoir.
If bought together with the bag, the standard closure cap will not
be included in the purchase. As mentioned above, the "Hoser" comes
with a length of hose that has a specially designed closure cap on
one side, and and a lapel clip and "SyperFlow"  bite valve on the
other. The current bite valve design has been around since late 2000
(pictured below, left). For sake of comparison, the older bite valve
system is also pictured (below, right).

As you can see, the newer bite valve design has fewer parts. Today,
the flexible rubber bite valve simply slides onto the end of the
tube. The older bite valve system is a bit more complex, proves
difficult to clean, and has a tendency to leak a drop or two when
pointed toward the ground - On more than one occasion, I have found
myself announcing to the group that I have felt rain and, on clear
days, looking up to see if I am the unfortunate target of a passing
bird. In addition, the old, two piece, bite valve has a tendency to
trap impurities in its components. Although the water in the
reservoir is always clear, taking the bite valve apart after an
extended time on the trail always reveals a dark color to the inner
core. Was it some sort of a mold?

I do find that I prefer the feel and flow rate of the old bite valve
when compared to the new design. The older model is more
comfortable, and I can't stop the flow of water by biting too hard
on the rubber tip like on the current design. In contrast, the newer
bite valve is much larger and, after being accustomed to the older
design, feels like a clumsy mouth guard between my lips. Biting down
hard will crimp the opening shut and prevent a good flow of water
from being dispensed. Coming from the old system this is certainly a
noticeable change, and especially true when going up or down steep
inclines. In such times, it's easy to bite down lightly or come down
hard, but somewhere in between, at least for me, can be a bit beyond
awkward. The newer bite valve also has a "textured" feel to it, and
the old design is smooth.

A final difference between old and new designs is in the closure cap
(pictured above, center). The old cap is smaller and more ridged,
and has a tendancy to skip threads when being secured to the bottle.
This is not easily detected and, on more than one occassion, I have
had the cap slip off the reservoir when I was pulling it out of my
pack. Thankfully, every time this has happened the water has already
been consumed over the course of my hike - I have never had my gear
soaked. It remanis a constant concern nonetheless.

With the new cap design (right, in the picture), such mishaps are a
thing of the past.

Platypus "Little Nipper" Reservoir:

The "Little Nipper"  is a small, 375ml, Platypus reservoir with the
closure cap located at the top. It conveniently fits in the chest
pocket of a winter parka. This is a very handy size to have when you
need a little hydration to get you by, but don't want to encumber
yourself with an external pack or heavy load. As the name suggests,
it's also good for carrying a "little nip" of something that's a bit
stronger than water or sports drink.

Winter Use:

Cascade designs claims their reservoirs can be either frozen or
boiled without damage to the plastic. They can definitely be frozen,
and finding yourself with a block of ice in your pack during the
winter is no fun (although it can be amusing for fellow hikers). The
plastic on the bottles is thin and offers no insulation from the
elements. As soon as the mercury hits the freezing point, your water
is in jeopardy. "Hoser"  users are in an even worse predicament, as
their drinking tubes and bite valves are totally exposed on the
outside of their packs.

Cascade Designs does make an optional bite valve cover, drinking
tube insulator, and hydration insulators for 1.8, 2, and 3 liter
reservoirs. When combined together, these help to prevent your
system from freezing in cold temperatures.

While these insulating systems may be good for sub-freezing
temperatures, I would keep a watchful eye on the effect of sub-20°F
temperatures on your Platypus. In extreme conditions, I would forego
the Platypus system altogether and instead go with a standard
Nalgene bottle. I would then cut sections of a 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick
closed celled foam sleeping pad and, using duct tape, secure them
around your water bottle.

I would, however, still have my "Little Nipper"  packed in the
chest pocket of my parka, for "medicinal purposes" only.

Platypus Accessories:

The "Hoser"  kit - bite valve, drinking tube, specialized closure
cap, and lapel clip - are available as a "Hoser"  conversion kit
for those with existing compatible Platypus reservoirs that were
bought without the "Hoser"  option.

Platy Patches - for those worried about a puncture on the trail, a
small, lightweight, patch kit of six individual self-adhesive
patches is available. As they are virtually weightless, tossing one
into your 1st-aid kit can't hurt. This said, I have hiked over a
thousand miles with my Platypus bags and have yet to suffer a leak.

Shower Kit - This is very similar to the "Hoser"  concept except
that the flow out the hose is constant. Using the plastic crimper
that's attached to the hose, you can turn the shower on or off. The
end of the hose has an attachment that breaks the water coming out
into a wide spray.

Filter Link - As mentioned in the text above, Cascade Designs makes
a special cap that allows for attaching a water filter outlet hose
directly to your reservoir. This allows you to pump without having
to struggle with keeping the output hose of your filter inside the
Platypus reservoir.

Push-Pull Cap - This is a simple push-off, pull-on, cap, similar to
those found on dish washing liquid dispensers. Pull, squeeze, and
drink. I only wish that the "Little Nipper"  came standard with
this cap as it's much better suited for "nipping", especially when
wearing a thick pair of gloves.

Cleaning your Platypus Reservoir: The one piece of information
that's not included, either in the packaging of Platypus reservoirs
or on the manufacturer's web page, is tips on how to clean your
Platypus bag.

Whether it's "colored" water from an old pump, creek water laced
with tannins, or you've simply waited too long before cleaning your
Platy after a trip, there are times when your system will just look
and smell terrible. The instructions below outline my personal
system used to keep my reservoir clean and fresh.

To clean your Platypus reservoirs, I recommend the following:

1) Get a clean plastic container that can hold at a few liters of
water. An empty gallon of milk is what I like to use.

2) For each liter of water your Platypus holds, pour in 1 teaspoon
of household bleach into the container.

4) Pour the mix into your Platypus, adding water as needed until
your Platy is full.

5) Close the reservoir and let it sit for 30-minutes.

6) If you have a "Hoser"  system, drain the Platy through the
drinking tube and bite valve. Otherwise, just pour the water out.

7) Flush the Platy and "Hoser" , if applicable, with clean water a
few times.

8) Next, fill the Platypus half way with plain, clean, very warm
water (not hot). For every 1-liter of reservoir capacity, place one
Efferdent pill into the bag (non-"Big Zip"  users will have to
break the pills up). Efferdent is an anti-bacterial denture cleanser
that has a "minty" taste to it. It's inexpensive, at a cost of about
$6 per 120 tablets. If you can't get Efferdent, any tablet-based
denture cleaning system will work. The tablets will start to fizz
and dissolve, turning the water to a bluish color. The solution will
move its way into the corners of the reservoir, loosening dirt and
debris that may be trapped there. Once the tablets are fully
dissolved, close the reservoir and shake vigorously for about a
minute. Fill the remainder of the bag with warm water and let it sit
for an hour. If your bag is really dirty, you can even let it sit
overnight.

9) Pour out half the contents, close, and once again give the bag a
good shaking.

10) Empty the remaining portion of the Efferdent solution from the
Platypus. If you have a "Hoser"  system, drain this water through
the drinking tube and bite valve.

11) Rinse out the Platypus a few times, including the drinking tube
if applicable, with clean water.

12) Depending on your model, drying the Platypus reservoir can be a
bit tricky. Simply leaving it on the kitchen counter can take a week
or more for all the water to evaporate. If you have a "Big Zip" ,
drying is easy. Simply place a small paper towel through the "Zip"
opening, into the bag, and either navigate it with your hand, or
shake the bag about until the moisture has been absorbed by the
towel inside. If you own a non-"Big Zip"  model, roll up a paper
towel and insert it entirely into the reservoir, then shake
vigorously until all the water droplets have been forced into the
towel. Getting the paper towel back out of the bag can be a little
tricky, and those with "sausage fingers" should be careful not to
get the Platypus stuck to the to the tip of their finger.

Note that, after performing this procedure, the first reservoir of
water might taste a little "minty". Not to worry - grandma never
died from it, and neither will you.

I live in Michigan and have been hiking seriously for 15 years,
although I've camped since I was 6 years old. My hiking experience
is limited to the continental United States and Europe. I spend
about 2-months per year on the trail. 2-4 day outings are reserved
for my home state of Michigan, where I'm a year-round hiker
(including winter/snow camping). I also enjoy hiking in nearby
states such as Pennsylvania and West Virginia, as well as treks into
Ontario, Canada (Bruce Peninsula, Algonquin Provincial Park). I
reserve my 4-7 day trips for November through March when the weather
is perfect for tackling environments such as the Grand Canyon.
Longer trips are usually in the summer where I'll most likely be
somewhere along the Pacific Crest or on the Continental Divide. As
longer periods of time become available, I take in extended hikes in
more remote areas of the world where just getting from home to the
trailhead can take 2-3 days.

I consider myself a lightweight hiker. I carry the lightest gear I
can get my hands on which will provide a comfortable wilderness
experience and adequately support the goals of my trip. Unless my
goals are time/distance oriented, my pace is always slow. I rarely
exceed 1.5 miles/hour. I rest frequently, hike long days, and enjoy
whatever nature throws my way.

Andy Mytys

OK. I found the warranty and cleaning instructions for Platys from CD. Boy, do they hide that stuff well in the packaging. Anyway, I included it in the

Message 12 of 22
, Nov 2, 2002

0 Attachment

OK. I found the warranty and cleaning instructions for Platys from
CD. Boy, do they hide that stuff well in the packaging.

Anyway, I included it in the review, did some additional
proofreading of my own, reworded some stuff, added some stuff, and
now I've got a honkin' 27k review on a plastic bag :)

Enjoy!

p.s. I'm also available to extend the length of term papers by 500%
if desired (haha)

The Platypus hydration system, by Cascade Designs, is a complete
product line for storing and transporting water in the backcountry.
The family of products includes flexible and collapsible water
bottles, tanks, totes, and carriers. Most of the products can serve
anywhere from a simple canteen to a complete, lightweight, hands
free hydration system that can double as a shower. In terms of
weight, most Platys, as they're commonly referred to, fall between
one and two ounces, including the cap. A complete "Hoser"  drinking
tube attachment will weigh another two onces. The largest reservoirs
available, the "Water Tanks" , weigh between two and three ounces,
depending on capacity.

Platypus water carriers are made of a clear, triple-layer, welded
plastic laminate. This construction insures durability and keeps
your water from tasting like "plastic", even after being stored for
extended periods of time and across various temperatures. All
Platypus bags are lined with high-density food grade polyethylene so
there are no issues with chemicals, found in all plastics, leaching
into your water. Platypus bags may be frozen, or boiled buy
inserting a filled reservoir into an uncovered pot and keeping it
covered with water that's cooking.

All Playpus reservoirs come with a lifetime warranty. It doesn't
cover abuse but, if your Platy should fail during normal use,
Cascade Designs will replace it free of charge.

I have personally used all of the products described in this review,
many since 1999. Throughout this short time span, Cascade Designs
has made durability related improvements to the material that the
Platypus reservoirs are made of and changed the bite valve design in
the hands-free, "Hoser", hydration system.

Platypus Water Tank:

The largest family of water carriers available in the Platypus line
are the "Water Tanks" . Available in 2, 4, and 6-liter capacity
sizes, they are ready to carry lots of water when needed (e.g.
hiking in hot, dry, conditions). Like all Platypus bags, when empty
they are extremely lightweight and fold down flat for convenient,
compact, storage.

Water Tanks  feature the "Big Zip"  opening for quick and easy
filling, comfortable handles, an easy-pour spout, and a secure
closure cap. When in an upright position, the spout on the Water
Tanks  is located at the top corner of the bag. These bags are
meant to carry water but, due to the location of the spout, are not
meant to be compatible with the "Hoser"  drinking tubes or shower
adapters. When filled, the Water Tanks  are freestanding.

On a recent hike in Utah, the route called for a 16-mile stretch
with no water and 100-degree temperatures. I carried two of the 4-
liter tanks of water in my pack, in addition to a 3-liter
Platypus "Hoser"  system.

It was my first experience with carrying so much water in a Platypus
product. The fact that these bags had the "Big Zip"  opening (think
industrial sized Zip-Loc) made me nervous. What if the "Zip" should
come open in the middle of my hike?

Fortunately for me, the "Zip" came open and leaked a little water
before I actually got onto the trail. I noticed the leak as I was in
the process of making final adjustments to the gear in my pack. When
I opened the pack to put some additional film in my camera bag,
there was a small puddle on top of my stuff sacks.

Upon close inspection, I figured out what had happened. I placed my
camera bag on top of the Platypus bags thinking that, if there was a
leak, the camera was the last thing I would want to get wet.
Unfortunately, when I placed the bag on the Platypus tanks,
the "Zip" openings were facing upwards. The pressure of the camera
bag's weight, in addition to the stress of the bag being pressed
down on the Platypus tanks by the backpack's top lid, forced
the "Big Zip"  closure to twist, open slightly, and leak water.

To get around this problem, I simply folded the "Zip" closure down
once and fastened it with duct tape. At the time, I was not in a
position where experimentation was a good idea. With water being
scarce until around noon the next day, I didn't want to chance about
additional leakage issues.

Since that time, I have found myself in similar packing situations
and have just folded the top closures of my "Big Zip"  flat. The
duct tape idea, while providing additional security, is completely
unnecessary.

Platypus "Big Zip" Reservoirs:

"Big Zip"  reservoirs (left bag in photo) are similar to the Water
Tanks , above. They are available in 1, 1.8, 2, 3, and 4 liter
capacities with the 3 and 4 liter bags having built in grommets for
attaching carry handles or suspending the bag to use in conjunction
with the optional camp shower attachment. All sizes come with a
closure cap. The bags do not stand upright when full since the pour
spout is located at the bottom corner of the bag. "Big Zips"  are
compatible with the optional "Hoser"  drinking tube attachment.

The "Big Zip"  closure works like an industrial sized Zip-Loc, and
having a wide opening for access is very convenient. Backcountry
users who use chemicals to treat their water can just let the source
flow freely into the bag, or dip the bag into the water for quick
filling. Sports drinks are a snap to make with the "Big Zip"  -
Just pour in the powder, add water, secure tightly, and shake. The
wide opening is also nice for putting ice cubes into the bag and
makes access for cleaning purposes easy. The opening is also a nice
feature for drying purposes as you can place a small towel directly
in the bag and either navigate it with your hand, or shake the bag
about until the moisture has been absorbed by the towel inside.

Platypus Reservoirs:

Standard Platypus reservoirs (right bag in photo, above) are
available in 1, 1.8, 2, and 3 liter capacities. All sizes come with
a closure cap, and can stand upright when full. Standard reservoirs
are compatible with the optional "Hoser"  drinking tube and shower
kits.

The main difference between the standard and "Big Zip"  reservoirs
are price, size, and how you fill the bag. The standard reservoir
costs about $1 less than a similarly sized "Big Zip" , with the
difference in the 3 liter models being about $3. While capacity
between the two Platys designs may be the same, a comparable "Big
Zip"  is 1-inch taller in order to accommodate the zipper. Of
course, without the advantage of a large opening, the standard
reservoirs have to be filled using a small hole that's about the
size found on 20oz plastic pop bottles. For filter users, Cascade
Designs sells an optional filter link that allows you to screw your
filter's output hose securely to the reservoir - Now you can
concentrate on pumping, rather than keeping the hose from popping
out of the bag.

Standard reservoirs are also difficult to dry after cleaning.
Leaving it open to air-dry on your kitchen counter can take up to a
week. I find that rolling up a paper towel, inserting it entirely
into the reservoir, then shaking vigorously is a good way to pick up
most of the excess moisture quickly. Getting the paper towel back
out of the bag can be a little tricky, and those with "sausage
fingers" should be careful not to get the Platypus stuck to the to
the tip of their finger while trying to fish out the towel.

This said, if you find yourself uneasy about trusting the "Big Zip"
 from leaking on the trail, the standard reservoir may be the
product for you.

Platypus "Hosers":

The Platypus "Hoser"  system allows for hands-free access to your
water using a simple gravity based design. You fill a "Hoser" 
compatible Platypus with water, attach the drinking tube to the
spout, then place the Platy either inside, or in a pocket on the
outside, of your pack. The area where the drinking tube is attached
to the Platy should be pointing down.

The drinking tube is 42" (106cm) long so you can really get the
water deep in your pack where it will be insulated and kept cool by
the surrounding gear. One of the best locations for your reservoir
is vertical, against your back. By placing heavy items, such as
water and food, between your shoulders and as close to your back as
possible, you'll have a well balanced pack that's easy to control.
And, as long as you put the reservoir in at a vertical position,
you'll have a good flow of water until the last drop is gone.

The system comes with a lapel clip, allowing you to conveniently
attach the hose to your pack strap, shirt collar, or wherever you
prefer (see photo, right). There's no more rummaging into your pack
for water or coming close to dislocating your shoulder while
reaching for a water bottle. Just grab the bite valve, pull it up to
your lips, bite down a little, and sip.

Easy access to water is the real selling point of the "Hoser" 
system. Hikers that wait until they are at a "convenient" point to
access their water often find themselves drinking only when they are
thirsty. It's well known that if you feel thirsty, your body is
already short a good liter of water. Such a shortage can decrease
your level of endurance, and make getting to your destination more
of a challenge than you initially planned. With dehydration also
come headaches, moodiness, and a miserable hike in general. To stay
adequately hydrated, however, you don't have to drink a lot at one
time - The key is to drink at regular and frequent intervals, giving
your body time to properly absorb the water. With the
Platypus "Hoser"  system, there's no excuse for not being well
hydrated.

Many hikers, when taking the first sip out of their "Hoser" , cough
up the water just as fast as it went down. This is due to the air
that was trapped in the hose - Gulping down water, followed by a
little air, and more water causes a natural reflex cough. It's
nothing to be concerned with. Rather than drinking from a freshly
filled Platypus, I recommend that you hold the drinking tube down
and pinch the bite valve for 2-3 seconds, letting any air trapped in
the drinking tube escape while filling the tube with water.

"Hosers"  are available in either kit form, to convert non-"Hoser"
 setups, or with the purchase of a standard or "Big Zip" reservoir.
If bought together with the bag, the standard closure cap will not
be included in the purchase. Instead, the "Hoser" will come with a
length of hose that has a specially designed closure cap on one
side, and and a lapel clip and "SyperFlow"  bite valve on the
other. The current bite valve design has been around since late 2000
(pictured below, left). For sake of comparison, the older bite valve
system is also pictured (below, right).

As you can see, the newer bite valve design has fewer parts. Today,
the flexible rubber bite valve simply slides onto the end of the
tube. The older bite valve system is a bit more complex, proves
difficult to clean, and has a tendency to leak a drop or two when
pointed toward the ground - On more than one occasion, I have found
myself announcing to the group that I have felt rain and, on clear
days, looking up to see if I am the unfortunate target of a passing
bird. In addition, the old, two piece, bite valve has a tendency to
trap impurities in its components. Although the water in the
reservoir is always clear, taking the bite valve apart after an
extended time on the trail always reveals a dark color to the inner
core. Was it some sort of a mold?

I do find that I prefer the feel and flow rate of the old bite valve
when compared to the new design. The older model is more
comfortable, and I can't stop the flow of water by biting too hard
on the rubber tip like on the current design. In contrast, the newer
bite valve is much larger and, after being accustomed to the older
design, feels like a clumsy mouth guard between my lips. Biting down
hard will crimp the opening shut and prevent a good flow of water
from being dispensed. Coming from the old system this is certainly a
noticeable change, and especially true when going up or down steep
inclines. In such times, it's easy to bite down lightly or come down
hard, but somewhere in between, at least for me, can be a bit beyond
awkward. The newer bite valve also has a "textured" feel to it, and
the old design is smooth.

A final difference between old and new designs is in the closure cap
(pictured above, center). The old cap is smaller and more ridged,
and has a tendancy to skip threads when being secured to the bottle.
This is not easily detected and, on more than one occassion, I have
had the cap slip off the reservoir when I was pulling it out of my
pack. Thankfully, every time this has happened the water has already
been consumed over the course of my hike - I have never had my gear
soaked. It remanis a constant concern nonetheless.

With the new cap design (right, in the picture), such mishaps are a
thing of the past.

Platypus "Little Nipper" Reservoir:

The "Little Nipper"  is a small, 375ml, Platypus reservoir with the
closure cap located at the top. It conveniently fits in the chest
pocket of a winter parka. This is a very handy size to have when you
need a little hydration to get you by, but don't want to encumber
yourself with an external pack or heavy load. As the name suggests,
it's also good for carrying a "little nip" of something that's a bit
stronger than water or sports drink.

Winter Use:

Cascade designs claims their reservoirs can be either frozen or
boiled without damage to the plastic. They can definitely be frozen,
and finding yourself with a block of ice in your pack during the
winter is no fun (although it can be amusing for fellow hikers). The
plastic on the bottles is thin and offers no insulation from the
elements. As soon as the mercury hits the freezing point, your water
is in jeopardy. "Hoser"  users are in an even worse predicament, as
their drinking tubes and bite valves are totally exposed on the
outside of their packs.

Cascade Designs does make an optional bite valve cover, drinking
tube insulator, and hydration insulators for 1.8, 2, and 3 liter
reservoirs. When combined together, these help to prevent your
system from freezing in cold temperatures.

While these insulating systems may be good for sub-freezing
temperatures, I would keep a watchful eye on the effect of sub-20°F
temperatures on your Platypus. In extreme conditions, I would forego
the Platypus system altogether and instead go with a standard
Nalgene bottle. I would then cut sections of a 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick
closed celled foam sleeping pad and, using duct tape, secure them
around your water bottle.

I would, however, still have my "Little Nipper"  packed in the
chest pocket of my parka, for "medicinal purposes" only. Also, I
might be inclined to take along a 1-liter standard reservoir (non-
"Big Zip" ) with me. Remember, Platys can be boiled. With this in
mind, you could pour hot water into the bag and bring it into the
sleeping bag with you for added warmth. Should you suddenly find
that your winter sleeping bag isn't keeping your warm enough, a
Platy could be the difference between a comfortable night's sleep
and an agonizing battle hypothermia. Just be careful not to make the
water too hot, as you want to avoid burning yourself. As for
placement, I find the most effective area to place the hot Platy is
right next to the femoral artery (i.e. "Crotch it"). It sounds
silly, but winter is hardly the season to be concerned with looks or
style. Staying warm will, at the very least, ensure a pleasant
backcountry experience in the premier season for hiking (just ask
someone's who's experienced it). It can also be a lifesaver.

Platypus Accessories:

The "Hoser"  kit - bite valve, drinking tube, specialized closure
cap, and lapel clip - are available as a "Hoser"  conversion kit
for those with existing compatible Platypus reservoirs that were
bought without the "Hoser"  option.
Platy Patches - for those worried about a puncture on the trail, a
small, lightweight, patch kit of six individual self-adhesive
patches is available. As they are virtually weightless, tossing one
into your 1st-aid kit can't hurt. This said, I have hiked over a
thousand miles with my Platypus bags and have yet to suffer a leak.
Shower Kit - This is very similar to the "Hoser"  concept except
that the flow out the hose is constant. Using the plastic crimper
that's attached to the hose, you can turn the shower on or off. The
end of the hose has an attachment that breaks the water coming out
into a wide spray.
Filter Link - As mentioned in the text above, Cascade Designs makes
a special cap that allows for attaching a water filter outlet hose
directly to your reservoir. This allows you to pump without having
to struggle with keeping the output hose of your filter inside the
Platypus reservoir.
Push-Pull Cap - This is a simple push-off, pull-on, cap, similar to
those found on dish washing liquid dispensers. Pull, squeeze, and
drink. I only wish that the "Little Nipper"  came standard with
this cap as it's much better suited for "nipping", especially when
wearing a thick pair of gloves.

Cleaning your Platypus Reservoir:

Whether it's "colored" water from an old pump, creek water laced
with tannins, or you've simply waited too long before cleaning your
Platy after a trip, there are times when your system will just look
and smell terrible.

Hidden on the inside flap of the packaging are Cascade Designs
instructions for cleaning your Platy. Cascade Designs recommends
using hot, soapy, water and rinsing with hot water. For a more
thorough cleaning, they outline the following procedure:

2) Add 1/3 cup lemon juice to the mix, shake, and vent by loosening
cap away from the face.

3) Repeat shaking, loosen cap, and let stand.

4) Rinse with hot water.

5) Repeat as necessary.

6) To dry, blow inside to inflate and set upright.

I have found what, in my personal opinion, is a better system as it
disinfects rather than just removing the "skunk" from a well-
traveled reservoir. The instructions below outline my personal
system used to keep my reservoir clean and fresh.

To clean your Platypus reservoir, I recommend the following:

1) Get a clean plastic container that can hold at a few liters of
water. An empty gallon of milk is what I like to use.

2) For each liter of water your Platypus holds, pour in 1 teaspoon
of household bleach into the container.

4) Pour the mix into your Platypus, adding water as needed until
your Platy is full.

5)Close the reservoir and let it sit for 30-minutes.

6) If you have a "Hoser"  system, drain the Platy through the
drinking tube and bite valve. Otherwise, just pour the water out.

7) Flush the Platy and "Hoser" , if applicable, with clean water a
few times.

8) Next, fill the Platypus half way with plain, clean, very warm
water (not hot). For every 1-liter of reservoir capacity, place one
Efferdent pill into the bag (non-"Big Zip"  users will have to
break the pills up). Efferdent is an anti-bacterial denture cleanser
that has a "minty" taste to it. It's inexpensive, at a cost of about
$6 per 120 tablets. If you can't get Efferdent, any tablet-based
denture cleaning system will work. The tablets will start to fizz
and dissolve, turning the water to a bluish color. The solution will
move its way into the corners of the reservoir, loosening dirt and
debris that may be trapped there. Once the tablets are fully
dissolved, close the reservoir and shake vigorously for about a
minute. Fill the remainder of the bag with warm water and let it sit
for an hour. If your bag is really dirty, you can even let it sit
overnight.

9) Pour out half the contents, close, and once again give the bag a
good shaking.

10) Empty the remaining portion of the Efferdent solution from the
Platypus. If you have a "Hoser"  system, drain this water through
the drinking tube and bite valve.

11) Rinse out the Platypus a few times, including the drinking tube
if applicable, with clean water.

12) "Hoser"  owners should pull the bite valve off the end of the
hose and visually inspect the inside. If it appears black or
otherwise unclean, you can soak the bite valve itself in a weak
bleach solution for 30-minutes (i.e. one drop of bleach in a glass,
that is then filled with water). You can also use a Q-Tip to try to
loosen up and remove any sort of grime. As the rubber on the bite
valve is porous, you may not be able to rid yourself of the
discoloration entirely. After a bleach treatment, however, this
discoloration is nothing but cosmetic. Disciplined, post hike,
cleaning of your system will avoid this from occurring to begin
with.

13) Depending on your model, drying the Platypus reservoir can be a
bit tricky. Simply leaving it on the kitchen counter can take a week
or more for all the water to evaporate. If you have a "Big Zip" ,
drying is easy. Simply place a small paper towel through the "Zip"
opening, into the bag, and either navigate it with your hand, or
shake the bag about until the moisture has been absorbed by the
towel inside. If you own a non-"Big Zip"  model, roll up a paper
towel and insert it entirely into the reservoir, then shake
vigorously until all the water droplets have been forced into the
towel. Getting the paper towel back out of the bag can be a little
tricky, and those with "sausage fingers" should be careful not to
get the Platypus stuck to the to the tip of their finger.

Note that, after performing this procedure, the first reservoir of
water might taste a little "minty". Platys can, after all, absorb
flavors. Not to worry - grandma never died from it, and neither will
you. It will go away soon and is surely preferred to drinking from a
skunky, trail worn, reservoir.

I live in Michigan and have been hiking seriously for 15 years,
although I've camped since I was 6 years old. My hiking experience
is limited to the continental United States and Europe. I spend
about 2-months per year on the trail. 2-4 day outings are reserved
for my home state of Michigan, where I'm a year-round hiker
(including winter/snow camping). I also enjoy hiking in nearby
states such as Pennsylvania and West Virginia, as well as treks into
Ontario, Canada (Bruce Peninsula, Algonquin Provincial Park). I
reserve my 4-7 day trips for November through March when the weather
is perfect for tackling environments such as the Grand Canyon.
Longer trips are usually in the summer where I'll most likely be
somewhere along the Pacific Crest or on the Continental Divide. As
longer periods of time become available, I take in extended hikes in
more remote areas of the world where just getting from home to the
trailhead can take 2-3 days.

I consider myself a lightweight hiker. I carry the lightest gear I
can get my hands on which will provide a comfortable wilderness
experience and adequately support the goals of my trip. Unless my
goals are time/distance oriented, my pace is always slow. I rarely
exceed 1.5 miles/hour. I rest frequently, hike long days, and enjoy
whatever nature throws my way.